Boots for a doll (with pattern)

Interior dolls amaze with the beauty and elegance of their outfits. A necessary item of clothing is doll shoes. It becomes a kind of finishing touch to the image created by the master.

What material to choose for doll shoes

Dolls, like people, can have a huge variety of shoes. It is selected depending on the main costume of the hero and his role functions. The interior doll’s shoes should be in harmony with the color scheme of the clothes: complement them or, conversely, stand out against the general background.

Completely different materials in texture can be used in production. Fabrics left over from previous crafts are often used. It all depends on the imagination and ideas of the author. Popular are dense fabrics such as:

• cotton;
• velveteen;
• felt;
• jeans are different.

What you need for work

Making doll shoes yourself is quite simple, despite the fact that it is painstaking and small work.

The following materials and devices may be needed for manufacturing.

• A piece of natural or artificial leather.
• Fabric for the upper part of the boots.
• Rubber for the sole or foamiran.
• Sheet of cardboard.
• Scissors.
• Pencil or pen.
• Instant glue.
• Eyelets.
• Ruler.
• Press for installing accessories.
• Laces.
• Thread and needle.
• Pins.

ADVICE! The sole of the shoes can be made from the cover of an old unwanted book.

How to make doll shoes

To make boots for a doll, you need to carefully consider the shape and design of the future product. You should also select the necessary materials and tools in advance. For beginners, it is better to watch training videos or read useful master classes on this topic.

How to make a pattern

A huge number of patterns can be downloaded from the Internet, adapting them to the desired foot size and materials used.

It is very convenient to copy the pattern into a text editor and adjust the drawing to the desired size. To do this, you need to measure the length of the toy's foot using a ruler. You should add a seam allowance of about 1 cm.

The insole pattern can be made independently. It is enough to place the doll on paper and trace the foot with a pen or pencil. It is recommended to add 5 mm from the edge along the entire perimeter to the resulting drawing.

We cut out this part in the amount of two pieces and lay it on the material from which the insole will be made.

To sew boots for a big-footed doll, you need the following patterns of the main parts: sole, tongue, lining and upper part. Patterns should be cut out and placed on the fabric, securing them with pins. You can outline them with a pen or chalk, and then cut them out and start sewing the product.

Step-by-step instructions for sewing boots

When all the necessary parts are prepared, you can begin assembling the boots in the following sequence.

Top part

• First you need to process the cuts of all the parts of the upper part of the shoe. They can be processed using an overlocker, thereby protecting the fabric from fraying.
• You can also edge those parts of the parts that will not be sewn together.
• Then you need to assemble the upper part of the boots. To do this, the parts are placed with the front sides facing inward. After that, all that remains is to sew them on a machine or by hand.
• Seam allowances should be pressed to avoid unnecessary thickness or folds. Then the product is turned inside out.

Insole

• Apply glue to the insole part from the sole side.
• Place the part of the toe of the boot, maintaining symmetry on both sides of the insole.
• The allowances on the insole need to be folded and glued, slightly gathering the edge in the toe area. Strong folds are not allowed.
• Next, place the back part in exactly the same way, centering it along the width of the insole. Having treated the heel of the insole with adhesive, we glue it to the sole, bending the allowances on the insole and slightly gathering the material along the edge of the heel.
• You can glue the heel by adding an allowance of 2-3 mm around the perimeter of the insole.

IMPORTANT! It is recommended to use fast-drying, strong and reliable glue (“Moment” or “Superglue”).

Connection of top and bottom

• Next, we connect the sole to the fabric part of the shoe using glue.
• If the shoes have laces, then you need to make holes for them with an awl or a special hole punch. The diameter depends on the available fittings.
• The laces also need to be prepared in advance by singeing their ends with a lighter, thereby protecting them from further unraveling.
• Next, insert the laces and tie them in an interesting way.

Decoration

At the end of the work you can decorate shoes with decorative elements.

Decor options:

• beads;
• stickers;
• painting with acrylic paints and other options.

Useful tips for making doll shoes

Each master with experience has his own tricks for quickly designing and sewing doll shoes. Some of them willingly share their secrets. Here are some useful tips that may come in handy during your work:

• If the lining of the shoes is textile-based, it is necessary to add allowances for sewing the shoes together.
• It’s convenient to model and make patterns right on the doll’s leg. As a layout, you can use simple calico and cardboard.
• During production, you can constantly try on boots at each stage of work.
• Adhesives must be applied especially carefully so that when they dry, no unsightly stains or smudges remain on the surface of the shoe. For timely cleaning, you must use a cotton pad or soft cloth.
• To sew complex fabrics on a machine, you should use special thick needles. It is better to sew slowly and sometimes even turn the handwheel by hand, taking into account the quality of the work.

Thus, with your own hands you can make very original shoes that look like a real work of art. We hope that this article will be useful and will help you make beautiful and impressive shoes for your doll.